The 6 Best Criminal Defense Strategies

There are dozens of defense strategies available to fight criminal charges. Your selection of a strategy should include the opinion of your criminal defense lawyer, consideration of your charges, and a thorough examination of the facts.

Here are six of the most effective criminal defense strategies.

Duress or Immediate Danger

If you can prove that you acted in self-defense, fearing immediate physical harm, your actions may not be considered a crime. Why? Because, in the United States, all citizens have the right to defend themselves. It can also be difficult to prove guilt when a defendant was under extreme duress.

To make this strategy effective, you’ll first need to prove you were in immediate danger. Second, you’ll need to provide a direct connection between your safety and your actions. In other words, was your crime connected to your fear of harm?

Entrapment

Sometimes, law-abiding citizens commit a federal crime when they are intimidated or coerced. While these men and women don’t fear immediate danger, they worry for their livelihood and physical safety should they try to walk away. This defense strategy is most often used in prostitution and drug-related cases.

Police Misconduct

During an investigation, law enforcement officers are required to follow industry-specific guidelines. Unfortunately, this doesn’t keep officers from embellishing facts, improperly handling evidence, or using unnecessary force to make suspects cooperate. If you can prove police misconduct occurred during the investigation of your case, you may succeed in having your case dismissed altogether.

False Accusation

This is perhaps the most common defense strategy. When you’ve been charged with a crime you honestly didn’t commit, your criminal defense lawyer will focus on a lack of physical evidence. With the right argument, you can encourage the retraction of a knowingly false accusation, setting your life back on track and discrediting your accuser.

Compelled Confession

When law enforcement is desperate to resolve a case, officers may coerce false confessions from innocent suspects. A number of mental or physical threats can lead to such a confession. If your criminal defense lawyer can prove you were coerced, the admission will be tossed out – and you’ll be free to make your argument of innocence.

Insanity

This method of defense is only appropriate when it can be proven to a judge. Defined in a courtroom as “the inability to distinguish right from wrong,” this strategy attempts to prove you were incapable of understanding the seriousness and consequences of your actions – and therefore should not be incarcerated for them.

Testimony from a psychiatrist or related healthcare professional will be required, and it’s important to remember insanity doesn’t remove guilt. You will likely be forced to attend a rehabilitation center or another form of treatment.

Work With a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you’ve been arrested on federal charges and need a criminal defense lawyer, contact our experienced team at Elden Law Group. We specialize in choosing the right defense strategy for every case. Call (800)-455-6200.